GLIDE no. FL-2007-000138-UGA
Period covered: 18 December 2007 to 30 March, 2008
Appeal target: CHF 11,413,603 (USD 9,511,366 or EUR 6,942,581);
Appeal coverage: 65%
Appeal history:
- This Emergency Appeal was initially launched on a preliminary basis on 20 September, 2007 for CHF 8,928,075 for 6 months to assist 100,000 beneficiaries.
- A total of four operations updates have been issued;
- A Revised Emergency Appeal for CHF 11,413,603 was issued on 18 December 2007 to assist 125,000 beneficiaries for 10 months.
- CHF 174,197 (USD 144,802 or EUR 105,959) was initially allocated from the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF), on 3 September 2007, to support this operation. Unearmarked funds to replenish DREF are encouraged.
- This operation is expected to be implemented over 10 months, and will therefore be completed by July 2008; a Final Report will be made available three months after the end of the operation.
Summary: Targeting 20,000 households, the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) has intervened to improve the health status, health awareness and reduce the incidence of water-borne and vector transmitted diseases. The National Society also assessed, planned and implemented early recovery activities together with the affected communities as well as key local, national and international actors. The flood-affected communities were assisted in strengthening communal assets and rebuilding their homes using more sustainable techniques. A total of 21,431 households have been assisted from 4 districts of Katakwi, Bukedea, Amuria and Soroti.
The situation
Extensive flooding occurred in various parts of north and eastern Uganda compounded by unusually heavy rainfall between July and mid-September 2007. The affected communities, especially in Amuria and Katakwi districts were already considered to be extremely vulnerable with many people either already displaced due to attacks from cattle raiders or armed insurgents, or under the threat of attack. The flooding therefore heightened their vulnerability and negatively affected household capacity to cope with future disasters. Despite the emergency interventions made in these affected communities during the emergency phase, the destruction caused by the floods was huge leaving these communities with high levels of vulnerabilities in the areas of water and sanitation, shelter, health and care as well as economic and food security. External assistance is still necessary to enable the affected communities to progressively rebuild their livelihoods, become food and economic secure, improve their health and care, water and sanitation and eventual empowerment to cope with future disasters.
Coordination and partnerships
The Red Cross progressively participates in coordination meeting at all levels including with the Office of the Prime Minister, Red Cross Movement partners and UN agencies using the UN cluster approach. This remains the main coordinating body that guides the interventions in all activities including Watsan, food security, health and relief assistance.
Contact information
For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:
In Uganda: Alice Uwase Anukur, Secretary General, Uganda Red Cross Society, telephone: +256.41.258.701/2; email: aanukur@redcrossug.org
In Uganda: Vladimir Stojiljkovic, Operations Coordination, mobile: + 256.773.259.073; email: Vladimir.stojiljkovic@ifrc.org
In Kenya: Dr. Asha Mohammed, Federation Head of Eastern Africa Zone, Nairobi, telephone +254.20.283.51.24; Fax +254.20.271.27.77; email: asha.mohammed@ifrc.org; Telephone: +254.20.283.52.22, Fax: +254.20.271.27.77; or Philimon Majwa, Disaster Management Manager, Nairobi; telephone + 254.20.283.52.11; email: philimon.majwa@ifrc.org
In Geneva: John Roche, Federation Operations Coordinator (Eastern and Southern Africa); telephone: +41.22.730.4400; email: john.roche@ifrc.org